Team Prograf

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Comment by TX Mom on November 14, 2009 at 7:36am

I am really glad they changed this for you, Bobbiejo. I read about your transplants and I was really concerned. My son has two organs. After going through our insurance paperwork we were able to switch. I am going to write to our insurance's medical director to lobby for non-generic on this drug until the generic has been proven safe.

Comment by Bobbiejo Winfrey on November 13, 2009 at 3:50pm

I just talked to my transplant team, and they do not want me to be on the generic of Prograf at all. I definitely do not want to take any risks with this gift, and I trust my transplant team greatly.

Comment by Janet Leaf on November 12, 2009 at 4:22pm

If you go to transplantexperience.com you can join the Astella website and receive newsletters, gifts etc about Prograf. If you click on finances you can sign up for that card that pays the copay up to $100 per month. Unfortunately, I am not eligible for it because I have a Federal employee RX benefit thru my husband. Hopefully it can help someone else.

Comment by TX Mom on November 9, 2009 at 1:22pm

I have fantastic insurance but I am required to pay the difference unless the doctor lobbies his request. In order for him to do this, he has prove the generic doesn't work or my son has irregular labs. We were on labs every 2 months but that changed. There is no savings to my insurance company if we have to increase labs. People who are ill should not have to worry that a drug could be questionable. I don't think my insurance company did not know that the FDA approved the generic tacro under those circumstances. These are two links I found for Prograf savings:
http://www.patientassistance.com/profile/astellas-50/
http://www.transplantexperience.com/

Comment by Fred Girscht on November 9, 2009 at 10:48am

GO TO YOUR SOCIAL WORKER OR CALL PROGRAF, THERE IS A DISCOUNT CARD FOR PROGRAF THAT TAKES OFF $100 FOR EACH MONTH . THE MOST I HAVE PAID IN THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN $2.00 BEST OF LUCK WITH THAT.

Comment by betsy on November 9, 2009 at 9:31am

After all the reading and comments about the generic form I'm beginning to sway towards the brand name Prograf. Just my opinion though. I don't know what my insurance company is going to do as of yet. I realize how expensive brand Prograf is. At this point if I were switched and had no choice but to take the generic, I think I would either try "Dispense as Writtren," or some other avenue. Not quite sure yet. Thanks for the reply Alice!

Comment by Alice on November 9, 2009 at 7:25am

Betsy, I have in the past, but I haven't asked for one in a long time. I am thinking I should ask for it on my prograf.because I am on.5mg 2 times a day. A generic can be 20% less or more than the original.
Good luck.

Comment by betsy on November 9, 2009 at 3:28am

Can one get a prescription from the Doctor stating "Dispense as Written?"

Comment by TX Mom on November 8, 2009 at 8:56pm

From what I have read, the FDA approved the generic tacro based upon clinical trials in HEALTHY PEOPLE without transplants. Any transplant patient taking this generic drug is now participating in an unvoluntary trial using your transplanted organs. That is why you have to have your levels taken more frequently. My son's levels are a little higher and he complains of sudden spasms. I think the generic drug is not metabolizing at a steady rate as the Astella drug does and I wonder what long term complications could occur. Complain to your insurance company! They should not agree to pay for this until the drug has been fully tested! I am switching back to Astella until the generic has proven itself.

Comment by NICHOLAS MARINO on October 21, 2009 at 3:43pm

As bad as the insurance industry has become ,you can be assured that if a generic form of Prograf that is what we we get. The? is, is the drug as effective and is it the same??? Good Luck to all, Nick

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